GEOGRAPHICAL PROFILE/POLITICAL INFORMATION

Location - Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, 10 00 S, 55 00 W
Distance and Direction from Lancaster, PA - South, 3703.2miles and 5959.7kilometers
Brazil is the largest country in South America at 3,287,612 sq mi. The second largest country in South America is Venezuela at 1,068,302 sq mi.
Climate - mostly tropical, but temperate in south
Major physical features - Amazon River, Brazilian Highlands and Plateaus, Pico de Neblina
Major cultural characteristics - European, Asian and Arab immigrants, at the time of establishment Brazil was the only Portuguese colony in the Americas (this is why their language is Portuguese)
Major cities - The capital of Brazil is Brasilia. Other major cities in Brazil include: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador da Bahia, and Fortaleza.
Type of Government - Federal Republic
Head of State/Head of Government - Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Global Organizations - World Trade Organization
Flag - green, yellow, blue, white

ECONOMIC INFORMATION

Currency and exchange rate vs. the U.S. dollar - 2.0322
Natural Resources - bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber
Agricultural Products - coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, motor vehicles, other machinery and equipment, citrus, and beef.
Industries - textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft
Imports/Import Partners - $136 bil./U.S. 14.9%, China 11.6%, Argentina - 7.9%, Germany 7%
Export/Export Partners $158.9 bil./U.S. 13.7%, Argentina 8.7%, China 8.1%, Netherlands 5.2%, Germany 4.4%
GDP, GDP per Capita - 0.1%, $10,200
HDI & HDI Ranking : .813
Unemployment Rate - 7.4%

POPULATION INFORMATION

Current Population - 201,103,330
Population Density - 20.5 inhabitants per square kilometer
Age Distribution -
- 0-14 years: 26.5% (male 27,170,378/female 26,134,844)
- 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 66,667,099/female 67,932,910)
- 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 5,578,397/female 7,619,702) (2010 est.)
Natural Rate of Increase (NRI) -
Time to Double Size -
Literacy Rate - 88.6%
Infant Mortality(out of 1000 births) - 22.58 deaths/1000 live births
Life Expectancy at age 1 - 71.66
Physical Quality of Life Index
- (166-infant mortality) x 0.625 = 89.6375
- (life expectancy - 42) x 2.7 = 80.082
- (literacy rate + infant mortality calculation + life expectancy calculation) / 3 = 86.1065
Ethnic groups - white: 53.7%, mulatto: 38.5%, black: 6.2%, other: .9%, unspecified: .7%
Chief Religions - Roman Catholic: 73.6%, Protestant: 15.4%, Spiritualist: 1.3%, Bantu/Voodoo: .3%, Other: 1.8%, Unspecified: .2%, None: 7.4%
Main Language - Portuguese

HUMAN RIGHTS INFORMATION

There are four main human rights in Brazil which include: Police brutality, Torture, Summary executions, and Slavery. Police brutality is the intentional use of excessive force usually physical, but potentially also in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation by a police officer. Torture in Brazil is reported widely in detention centers and mental institutions. It is illegal however, it still remains by police and prison guards. Summary executions are a variety of executions in which a person is killed on the spot without trial. This is practiced by police, military, and paramilitary organizations. Summary executions are the most internationally recognized human rights in Brazil. Estimates show there are over 3,000 deaths annually from police violence in Brazil. Slavery is a system where people are the property of others. The most common type in Brazil is debt slavery which is when workers are forced to pay an ever-increasing debt. It is illegal in Brazil and the government does fight against it, but it does still exist in some rural areas.

ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

The biggest environmental issue in Brazil is the deforestation. Brazil once had the highest deforestation rate in the world. As of 2005 it still had the largest area of forest removed annually and since 1970 over 600,000 square kilometers of the Amazon Rainforest have been destroyed. At the current rate of deforestation in Brazil by the year 2030 the Amazon Rainforest will be reduced by 40%.

DECISION STATEMENT

My group chose Venezuela as the best relocation point. In my opinion I would have chosen Venezuela myself as well. Venezuela is one of the smaller countries in South America which I would think would be a benefit to most people. Small, quiet and private. Venezuela has the very popular attraction of the Andes Mountains. Also another good thing about Venezuela is that Christmas starts on December 16th! Most people are familiar with the agricultural products of corn, rice, sugarcane, coffee, grains, and cotton. This would benefit people because most people don't like to eat products that they are unfamiliar with. The unemployment rate in Venezuela is significantly low at 10.9% and the literacy rate is high at 93%. Both of those statistics serve as benefits to the people. Lastly the main language in Venezuela is Spanish which is a pretty common study in most schools, and not a very difficult language to learn.